Q&A: Brian Lucey

Thursday

Aug 25, 2011 at 12:01 AMAug 29, 2011 at 2:17 PM

In addition to mastering famous artists from around the world, Brian Lucey has worked on some truly amazing Ohio albums. His credits include The Black Keys, Mount Carmel, Howlin' Maggie and a host on the city's current hot list. He spoke about making music you'll remember.

In addition to mastering famous artists from around the world, Brian Lucey has worked on some truly amazing Ohio albums. His credits include The Black Keys, Mount Carmel, Howlin' Maggie and a host on the city's current hot list. He spoke about making music you'll remember.

I started engineering because I was unhappy with the quality of what I was able to buy. There were these guys who were $400 or $500 an hour that were good, and everybody else seemed to be not very good. I set out to be the mastering guy who didn't exist, which was the high-end sound for the modest, musician-friendly money.

Most people, historically, apprenticed with someone who knew what they were doing. I took the long way. I was a turd polisher. I worked my way up to getting music now that, by and large, is excellent.

I could live anywhere now, but I choose here. When I started doing this a little over 10 years ago, I wanted to prove a point - that quality didn't live on the coasts. This is a great place to live. You can do anything you want in Columbus.

With music, I' m old enough to where I want to like it. I'm past the age of saying that's cool, that's not cool. That's a younger person's game. I don't judge anymore. I can enjoy any music at this point.

That's really my job - to find something to like in everything. Whatever the thing is, you frame it, you pretty it up and you stick it right in the front.

Music is the language of emotion. You can go to English class all you want, but to be an eloquent speaker, you've got to have style. Music production is the same way. There's a balance between even and polite and explosive.

Mastering is a world of often subtle changes that make a big difference. Sometimes it's big changes. If the mixes aren't very good, I get out the heavy lifting, and I go at it.

If I could remaster anything, it would be most of the '80s. From Dire Straits to The Police to Talking Heads. There was a lot of stuff that came out when the digital technology was new, and the rules of the analog world were applied.